When Claremont’s Sustainable City Plan was adopted in 2008 it included the concept of establishing a community organization to work closely with the city on education and implementation. More than fifty responsibilities were delegated to that proposed organization which was incorporated in 2009 as Sustainable Claremont.
Sustainable Claremont has done quite well. Among accomplishments are the annual Claremont Earth Day celebration; a Water Action Group that played a significant role in the Colleges’ planning for a water reclamation plant; creation of the Claremont Home Energy Retrofit Project (CHERP) that is now being replicated in other cities throughout California and beyond; a very active group working with Claremont schools and the school district to establish school gardens and use them as teaching laboratories and to introduce sustainability into the curriculum; a Claremont Garden Club that emphasizes water-wise landscaping appropriate for our area. There are also monthly Demystifying Sustainability articles such as this one, along with Sustainability Dialog presentations and discussions in partnership with Pomona College and jointly planned with the League of Women Voters and the Interfaith Sustainability Council. The group also maintains a robust website, monthly e-newsletters and regular updates on social media. There is much more. Sustainable Claremont was recognized as the Outstanding Community Organization of the year by the 2012 Independence Day Committee.
Now sustainable Claremont is moving to a new level by opening a Sustainability Resource Center that will help support sustainability initiatives throughout the city. The Resource Center will further sustainability efforts in Claremont by providing information, answering questions, making referrals, facilitating public outreach, interacting with other sustainability-oriented entities, and providing support for Sustainable Claremont’s programs. Space for the Center is being donated by Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden, and the Center will initially be staffed half-time under an agreement with the City of Claremont which has provided financial support for the new Center in its 2015 and 2016 budgets.
The Center will initially be staffed half time. We hope this position will be attractive to someone with a keen interest in sustainability who would enjoy helping plan and build the future of Sustainable Claremont — and of sustainability in Claremont. It will require organizational skills, an ability to interact effectively with the public, a BA or BS, interests related to sustainability, media and computer skills that include proficiency with MSWord and Excel. Responsibilities will include preparing and managing outreach and public interest information, responding to public inquiries, support of Sustainable Claremont activities, and fundraising.
Applications will be accepted until August 8 and should include a resume and cover letter sent to Sustainable Claremont, PO Box 1502, Claremont, CA 9171. For further information contact Freeman Allen at cf1allen@aol.com.
Demystifying Sustainability is an initiative of Sustainable Claremont (sustainableclaremont.org).